m. They are the crosswalk sweepers,
the little apple-peddlers, and candy-sellers of our city; or, by more
questionable means, they earn their scanty bread. They traverse the low,
vile streets alone, and live without mother or friends, or any share in
what we should call a home. They also know little of God or Christ,
except by name. They grow up passionate, ungoverned, with no love or
kindness ever to soften the heart. We all know their short wild
life--and the sad end.

"These boys and girls, it should be remembered, will soon form the great
lower class of our city. They will influence elections; they may shape
the policy of the city; they will, assuredly, if unreclaimed, poison
society all around them. They will help to form the great multitude of
robbers, thieves, vagrants, and prostitutes who are now such a burden
upon the law-respecting community.

"In one ward alone of the city, the Eleventh, there were, in 1863, out
of 12,000 children between the ages of five and sixteen, only 7,000 who
attended school, and only 2,500 who went to Sabbath School; leaving
5,000 without the common privileges of education, and about 9,000
destitute of public religious influence.

"In view of these evils we have formed an Association which shall devote
itself entirely to this class of vagrant children. We do not propose in
any way to conflict with existing asylums and institutions, but to
render them a hearty co-operation, and, at the same time, to fill a gap,
which, of necessity, they all have left. A large multitude of children
live in the city who cannot be placed in asylums, and yet who are
uncared-for and ignorant and vagrant. We propose to give to these work,
and to bring them under religious influence. As means shall come in, it
is designed to district the city, so that hereafter every Ward may have
its agent, who shall be a friend to the vagrant child. 'Boys' Sunday
Meetings' have already been formed, which we hope to see extended until
every quarter has its place of preaching to boys. With these we intend
to connect 'Industrial Schools,' where the great temptations to this
class arising from want of work may be removed, and where they can learn
an honest trade. Arrangements have been made with manufacturers, by
which, if we have the requisite funds to begin, five hundred boys in
different localities can be supplied with paying work. We hope, too,
especially to be the means of draining the city of these children, by
communi